Three new faculty named in Humanities
September 29, 2006
KOKOMO, Ind.—The Humanities Department of the Indiana University Kokomo School of Arts and Sciences has a new chair and three new faculty members.
Associate Professor of English Ann Cameron, Ph.D., has been named department chair. Joining the humanities faculty are Lecturer in Spanish Jesús Pico, Lecturer in Spanish Christine Taff, and Assistant Professor of Communication Arts Christopher Darr, Ph.D.
Jesús “J.R.” Pico
Pico is teaching Spanish I and II this fall. Over an 18-year career in six different countries, Pico has taught Spanish, French, and English as foreign languages at university and secondary levels. He speaks those languages and Italian fluently. He has overseen numerous study abroad and field study programs in Mexico, Spain, and Costa Rica. A lecturer of Spanish for Wake Forest University in North Carolina since 1999, Pico directed three intensive summer language institutes there and received a faculty grant for the use of technology in education in 2004.
He holds an M.A. in Spanish from the University of Arkansas (1999); a Specialist in Computer Assisted Instruction (M.S. equivalent) from Universidad Antonio Narińo, Colombia (1996); and a B.A. in Education, Modern Languages from Universidad del Atlántico, Colombia (1989). Pico also studied in England at University of Kent at Canterbury and Croydon College, receiving diplomas in teaching English as a foreign language. He has completed graduate courses toward a doctorate in Spanish.
Pico’s research interests are Latin American literature and applied linguistics in foreign language teaching, curriculum, and instruction.
Christine Taff
This fall, Taff is teaching Spanish I and II. She was a lecturer in Spanish at IU Kokomo from 1998–2000, before joining the faculty of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. At Cathedral, Taff taught Spanish I–IV and advanced placement students. She also managed a school-wide tutoring program and assisted with textbook selection and curriculum development.
Taff has completed coursework and examinations toward a doctorate in Spanish through Purdue University, where she also earned an M.A. in Spanish. She was a graduate teaching assistant on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus from 1990–1997 and graduate supervisor in the later years of her term. Before that, she served as a Peace Corps adult literacy promoter in Honduras.
Christopher Darr, Ph.D.
Darr is teaching two courses this semester, Public Speaking and Persuasion. Darr served as a graduate teaching assistant while pursuing an M.A. in Communication Studies from Marshall University, West Virginia (2000) and a doctorate in communication from Purdue University (2004). He taught as an assistant professor at Wesleyan College from 2004–2006, where he received two Dean’s Mini-Grants for course development.
In his research and professional writing, Darr has often focused the effects of partisanship and incivility in national political rhetoric. “Civility is particularly important as we enter the 2006 campaign season,” Darr said. “Unfortunately, many candidates resort to name calling and other tactics that help them with votes, but are damaging to our political process in the long run.” He has served as a political writing reviewer and presenter for several years with the National Communication Association and Southern States Communication Association.
In other humanities appointments, Raul Mosley was promoted from lecturer in communication arts to an acting assistant professor. Assistant Professor of English Terri Bourus, Ph.D., has accepted additional responsibilities as director and advisor to the Master in Liberal Studies degree program.
